Speaking and oral interaction - runāšana
The oral part is conducted face to face with examiners. It usually moves through an introductory exchange, a dialogue or role-play (asking for information, buying a ticket, arranging a visit), a short monologue on a picture or a prompt, and follow-up questions. You are assessed on communication - can you keep the exchange going and answer what was asked - as well as pronunciation, grammar range and vocabulary.
Core rules
- Answer in full sentences with a reason or a detail. 'Gulēt. Iet veikalā.' communicates almost nothing; three connected sentences do.
- Use the polite 'Jūs' with the examiner and the standard formulas: 'Atvainojiet, vai varētu atkārtot?', 'Lūdzu, pastāstiet…', 'Paldies, tas ir viss'.
- In a role-play, ask questions as well as answering - interaction is scored, and a one-sided turn loses marks.
- Latvian stress falls on the first syllable. Carrying the stress to the end of a word (as in Russian) is the single most audible pronunciation error.
Worked example
Examiner: 'Pastāstiet, ko jūs parasti darāt brīvdienās!' Strong answer: 'Brīvdienās es ceļos nedaudz vēlāk, tad kopā ar ģimeni gatavoju brokastis. Sestdienās mēs bieži ejam uz parku vai apmeklējam radiniekus, bet svētdienās es lasu grāmatas un gatavojos darba nedēļai. Ja laiks ir labs, mēs braucam uz Jūrmalu.' Reasoning: the answer stays in the present tense, uses time markers (sestdienās, svētdienās, ja), links clauses with tad, bet, ja, and names concrete activities - which is exactly what the rubric rewards.
Traps that cost marks
- Delivering a memorised monologue that does not answer the actual question.
- One-word or yes/no answers, which cap the communication score.
- Skipping long vowels and palatalised consonants under pressure (māja/maja, ķepa/kepa).
- Not asking for clarification when you miss a word - a repair phrase keeps the interaction alive.